Device for creating vacuums



Aug. 9, 1949. H. M. BERNER 2,478,561

DEVICE FOR CREATING VACUUMS Filed June 28, 1943 I 4 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 9, 1949. v H. M. BERNER 2,478,561

DEVICE FOR CREATING VACUUMS H Filed June 28, 1945 4' h5 %s sheat 2 v {I I m V II! Y raglllv' 3 371-5 izgggzgma p lli l as I 7d awe/rm 1949. I M. BERNER 2,478,561

DEVICE FOR CREATING VACUUMS Filed June 28, 1945 4 Sheets-Shet s 7 @fiam,

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Aug. 9,-1949. H. MVBERNER 2,478,561

DEVICE FOR CREATING VACUUM$ Filed Jun 2s, 194:5 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 mnmmm" w 9 I mom W4 5:

Patented Aug. 9, 1949 nsvroaron CREATING VACUUMS Harry Berner, Chicago, Ill.,.assig-nor--to Arneri-- can-- HospitalSupply Corporation, Chicago, 2111.,

a corporation. of. Illinois Application June 28, 1943, SerialiNo. 492- 623 1 2 Claims.

. r 1 This invention relates to a-d'evice for creating vacuum, and more particularly to a device for creating vacuum without the use of a mechanical pump,a vacuum being created by the gravity flow of fluid from one containerto another.

An object of the invention is to provide adevice in which-the flow of fluid from enecontainer to another is used to create a vacuum. Another object is. to provide in a device for creatingvaouum by the gravity flow ef fluid to containers between which the fluid may'iiowanol'whichv are reversible or interchangeable gas; to position so as to reverse the flow of iiuid; when desired. Yet another objectis to provide a device in. whichfluid flowing from one container toanother maybe reversed in .its flow without-changing the construction or arrangement of the;containers or the device a i Another object .ofthe inventionis to provide a valve forcontrolling. the flow of fluicl'between a plurality of containers so as to control the quantit and speed of --flow of material. drawn into the. vacuum. inlet. .A further object is to provide in a. device in which. a vacuum is created by the flow of fluid from oneYcontainer to. an.-

other. a valveior providing for the revasal. of

the flow ,of fluid when the positions. of the containers are interchanged. Yet-another object. is. to provide a jvalvei'or connecting the medium evacuated with'the source of vacuumin either position of the containers and without regard to the direction of the flow of fluid thereb'e'twee'n- Other features and advantages will appear from the following specificationsand; drawings, which Fig. l is aside .elevational view of .a devi'ceembodying the invention; Fig; 2 is a front elevational view of the sarnedevice; Fig. .3 is a side view partly in vertical section showing the construe v tion and arrangement of the valve and conduits? Fig. 4 is an enlargeddetail 'elevaticn'al View of the bracket which engages the valvecasing; Fig. 5.11s a side elevational view of a modified form of'the device; Fig. 6 is a front elevational viewmof the. same modified for nof thedevice; 'lis ap'lan View of the base of the embodiment of the .cl'e-. vice shown in Figs. 4 and 5; Fig- .8' is a frag-I mentary detail vertical sectional view showing, the valve construction; and. Fig. 9 is. a transverse sectional view takenalong the line Ei-tSof' Fig. 8.

The present invention contemplates a device.

in which a vacuum is created by vthe ilow .off'fiuid between two or more containers; In the device,

at least a pair of containers are disposed in vertically-spaced relation and the fluid. iiows' irom the; upper container to the flower container and creates a, vacuum in :the upper portion of the upper container. .A conduit communicates with this upper portion of the upper container and is connected to the medium to be evacuated. In the device, the contai'nersand the valve therebetween are so arranged that the'containers may berevers'ed -.or interchanged imposition, and" the flow 10f. fluid may thereupon bereverse'd without interrupting the vacuum :for any substantial period of-time.

,In the embodiment or the invention shown in Figs. *1 to 3, a :base 49;, including a plurality or struts-or members 'I I5, .12 and Jl-3"'which may :be equipped with rollers at their ends, provides a central mounting 1115. which supports an up wardly-extending standard it. The standard It, in. turn, is. equipped with a shaft 1 1 which "pivotally supports the frame 1 8'.

At the ends of the framegit are -brackets t9 and 29 which are equipped 'with shafts :21 and 22, respectively, received within the tubular ends oftheirame l8. Set screwszt' and 24 provide for the locking of the shafts 2i and .22 TIBSlJ-SC- tivelypos-ition and for the adjustment of these shafts. .Thebracket 19 supports a container 25. Airing ZGsupperted by theframe it! extends about the neck Z 0.1. the container 25"and engages the same. A ring .28, carried by the frame .118, en-

ages the neck -2-9-of a container wand, with the bracket 20., supportsthe same.

seen particularly in the. fragmentary view of Fig. 3, the container 1:25 :is equipped with a closure member or car; 31' which may threadedly engage the neck of the container or may be otherwise suitably securedjtothe icontainer'to close the open neck thereof. equipped with a @lura'lity -.of tubes =32; 33' and 36 extending thereinto. The tubes. 32; 33 and 34 entendthrough the closure and it rough the washer 3!? within the closure. .If desired, a'rub- .berband as or other suitable means may extend about thetubes'as indicated;

The tubes =32 and 33-, seen in. Figs. 1; 2 and 3;, are relatively long tubes which extend into the containerwand terminate adjacent the bottom .of the container opposite the neck thereof. 'l hese tubesare inlet tubes. The tube, on the other hand, .is an outlet tube and is relatively short,. terminating Within the container "imme.-.

diately adjacent. the .neck thereof and the closure 31.. a

.The tube i34-ispreferably provided with a longitudinal slot. in. the end -.thereof;. With: this slot;

The closure 3 is 3 fall into the tube, they will not interfere with the passage of air therethrough since the liquid collects at the lower end of the tube and the air may pass through the slot at a portion of the tube slightly above the end thereof.

A similar closure 36, inlet tubes 31 and 38, and an outlet tube 39 are provided for the container 30. Since the construction of the closure and inlet and outlet tubes for the two containers are substantially identical, these members will not be described in detail in connection with the container 30.

A valve 40 is provided with a casing M and a plug 42 therein. Preferably, the casing is tapered on the inner side thereof, and the valve plug 42 is equipped with a compensating taper so that the plug fits snugly within the casing, A spring 43, supported against an end plate 44, urges the plug into snug engagement with the inner surface of the casing, The casing 4| may be mounted on the supporting bracket 45 carried by the frame l8, while the plug 42 is equipped with an extending portion 46 which is secured to the shaft I! which provides a pivotal mounting for the frame [8. Thus, the casing 41 is rotatable with the frame it, while the plug 42 is fixed in position by attachment to the shaft l1.

As seen particularly in Figs. 3 and 4, the casing 4! may be equipped at its end with a pair of pins [[15 and I which extend into a longitudinal slot I31 in the bracket 45. The pins are slightly smaller than the width of the slot so as to allow a slight play of the casing 4| with respect to the bracket 45. At the same time, the pins engage the walls of the slot when the casing is moved so that the casing may not be moved any substantial distance without moving the bracket 45. Similarly, when the frame l8 carrying the bracket 45 is rotated, the casing is also rotated by reason of the engagement of the bracket with the pins I95 and [35.

The casing 41 may be equipped with a pair of inlet ports 4'! and 48, equipped respectively with tubes 49 and 50 communicating with the conduits 5i and 52 which, in turn, are connected respectively to the inlets 3i and 33 for the container 3%. Immediately adjacent the inlet ports 41 and 48 is an outlet port 53 provided with a tube 54 connected to a conduit 55 communicating with the outlet tube 39 for the container 30. The inlets 41 and 48 and outlet 53 are preferably on the same side of the casing 4! and in longitudinal alignment with each other.

The lower side of the casing 4! may be equipped with inlets 55 and 51 which communicate with the inlets 32 and 33 for the container 25 and with an outlet 58 which communicates with the outlet 34- for the container 25. The tube 59 connected to the outlet port 58 may be provided with a manually-operable valve 60 for controlling the flow of fluid or air through the tube 59.

The plug 42 is provided with a transverse groove Bi extending thereabout, the passage being adapted to communicate at its upper end with the outlet 53 or with the outlet 53, and at its lower end with the inlet 48 or the inlet 51. A passage 62 in the plug 42 is adapted to communicate at one end with the inlet 41 or the inlet 55, and at its other end with a tube 63 leading to the medium to be evacuated. A passage 64 in the plug 42 serves as an outlet passage and may communicate selectively with the outlet 58 or the outlet 53. When the outlet 58 is in lower position, as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawing, this outlet serves as an air exhaust, while when it is in upper position it serves as a liquid outlet, Similarly, when the outlet 53 is in upper position, as indicated in Fig. 3, it serves as a liquid outlet, while when in lower position in place of the outlet 58 the outlet 53 serves as an air exhaust.

The tube 63 is connected to a conduit 65 which leads to a container 66 which serves as a trap for the material which is evacuated and passes through the conduit H1. The container 66 is pro- ,vided with a closure 61 and a pair of tubes 68 and 89, the tube 68 leading to a conduit 10 which may be connected to the medium to be evacuated.

The conduits may be of rubber or other suitable material, while the base, frame, valve and the like are preferably of metal. The containers may be of glass. If the device is to be used for therapeutic purposes, brass, stainless steel or monel metal may be used for the parts which come in contact with the fluid.

In operation, one of the containers is filled with liquid, and this container is placed in upper position by rotating the frame I8 about the shaft H. A stop H carried by the standard it, engages the frame when the upper container is in the desired vertical position.

The fluid in the container 3|] in upper position flows downwardly through the outlet 39, conduit 55, through the port 53, and the casing 4|, then through the transverse passage Bl in the plug 42, and into the inlet port 51. From the inlet port 51, the fluid flows to the inlet 33 in the container 25. The flow of fluid from the container creates a vacuum within the inlet tube 31 and tends to draw air into the container 30 through the inlet tube 31, conduit 5!, inlet port 47, and passage 62 in the valve 40. The passage 62 communicates with the tub-e 63, conduit 65, container 65, and conduit 10, and serves to create a vacuum in the medium which is to be evacuated. The inlet tube 38 is closed off by the surface of the plug 42 engaging the inlet port 43.

As the fluid flows into the container 25 in lower position, the air in the container passes upwardly and outwardly through the inlet 34, through the valve 6!), outlet port 58 and exhaust passage 54. Manual control of the valve serves to control the flow of air from the container 25 and thus controls the flow of fluid from the upper container to the lower when the valve 60 is in the position shown in Fig. 3. In upper position, on the other hand, the valve 6|] controls the flow of liquid from the upper container to the lower container.

The inlet 32 is closed by the surface of the plug 42 in engaging with the inlet port 56.

When the liquid in the container 30 has been transferred to the container 25, the frame 13 is rotated about the shaft I! to reverse the positions of the containers. In the new position, the container 25 is in upper position and the container 30 in lower position. In this changed position, the outlet 34 of the container 25 communicates through the passage 5! with the inlet 38 in the container 30 to permit fluid to flow from the container 25 to the container 35. The

H outlet 39 of the container 30 communicates with the exhaust passage 64. As the fluid flows from the container 25 to the container 30, a vacuum is' drawn through the conduit 10 and the air, which is forced from the container 30, passes out ,through the exhaust passage 64; v e 7 5- In the continued operation of the device, when the liquid has passed from the upper container to the lower container, the positions of the containers are reversed and the operation continues.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, '7 and 8, a base 88 is equipped with a pair of legs 8| and 82 and a mounting 83 supporting a standard 84. The standard 84, in turn, supports a, shaft 85 on which is pivotally mounted a frame 86 for supporting two pairs of containers, the upper pair being indicated at 81 and 88 and the lower pair at 88 and 98.

Each of the containers 81, 88, 88 and 98 may be substantially the same in construction as the containers 25 and 38 shown in the embodiment of the invention described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3.

The conduits communicating with the containers 81, 88, 88 and 88 are the same as those described in connection with the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 and communicate with a valve 9!. The valve 8| includes a casing 92 and a plug 83, as in the principal embodiment of the invention. The valve construction is similar to that in the principal embodiment of the invention except that each of the ports is divided and equipped with a. pair of tubes. As seen in Fig. 8, the port 93, for example, receives a pair of tubes 84 and 85, the tubes 84 and 85 connecting respectively to conduits 86 and 81. Thus, each of the ports in the valve corresponding to the ports in the principal embodiment of the invention communicates with a pair of tubes within the pair of adjacent containers.

The conduits 98 and 89 which connect to the outlet tubes of th containers 88 and 98 are joined at the manually-controlled valve 188. From this valve, a tube l8l communicates with the exhaust passage I82 in the valve.

In other respects, the construction of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 4 to 8 inclusive is substantially similar to the principal embodiment of the invention. In operation, the embodiment shown in Figs. 4 to 8 is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 3, except that in each case the fluid flows from the two containers in upper position to the two containers in lower thereof and with an outlet port and a pair of inlet ports on the other side thereof, and a plug rotatably supported within said casing and equipped with a passage extending transversely thereabout, said outlet ports being in alignment in the plane of said rotation whereby either of said ports may be selectively brought into communication with one end of the passage in said plug, a pair of said inlet ports being in alignment in the plane of rotation whereby one of said pair of inlet ports may be brought into communication with the other end of said passage in said plug, the other pair of inlet ports being in alignment in the plane of said rotation whereby one of said last-mentioned inlet ports may be brought into communication with a passage in said plug leading to the medium to be evacuated, an exhaust passage in said plug communicating selectively with the other of said outlet ports.

2. In an evacuating device, a valve mechanism comprising a casing equipped with an outlet and a pair of inlet ports and another outlet and another pair of inlet ports, and a plug within said casing equipped with a passage extending transversely thereabout and equipped also with an exhaust passage and a passage adapted to communicate with a medium to be evacuated, said casing and said plug being rotatable with respect to each other, said outlet ports being in alignment in the plane oi. rotation and adapted to be brought selectively into communication with one end of said transverse passage, two of said inlet ports consisting of one of each of said pairs being in alignment in the plane of rotation and being adapted to be selectively brought into communication with the other end of said transverse passage, the other two inlet ports being in alignment in the plane of rotation and adapted to be selectively brought into communication with 40 said passage adapted to communicate with a meposition. Since all of the fluid flows through the valve 9|, the quantities in each pair of containers will be balanced.

Although the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments, it will be apparent that modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In an evacuating device, a valve mechanism comprising a casing equipped with an outlet port and a pair of inlet ports on one side dium to be evacuated, the other outlet port being in communication with said exhaust passage.

HARRY M. BERNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 508,921 Dalisch Nov. 21, 1893 1,875,711 Haeusler Oct. 14, 1913 1,524,792 Laskey Feb. 3, 1925 1,825,443 Chormann Sept. 29 1931 2,077,683 Fritz Apr. 20, 1937 2,152,021 Baumer "Mar. 28, 1939 2,165,096 Frechette July 4, 1939 2,308,497 Dunham Jan. 19, 1843 

